The AFL has provisionally stood down Melbourne utility Joel Smith, effective immediately, after he recorded a positive drugs test to cocaine during the home and away season.
The AFL on Wednesday morning confirmed Smith had been tested by Sport Integrity Australia officials after the Demons’ Round 23 Melbourne match against Hawthorn on August 20 — as part of routine performance-enhancing drugs testing — but was only notified of the positive finding last week. The league said it only found out about the result at the same time.
Minutes after the Herald Sun broke the story on Wednesday morning of a player recording a positive drugs test, the AFL confirmed Smith was the player in question.
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“The AFL confirms that a mandatory provisional suspension (which is effective immediately) has been imposed on Melbourne FC player Joel Smith following notification to him by Sport Integrity Australia of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) and a potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code (Code),” the AFL statement read.
“It is asserted that a sample provided by Smith during an In-Competition doping control test on 20 August 2023 returned an AAF for the presence of Cocaine and its metabolite Benzoylecgonine being a Prohibited Substance under the Code.
“The matter is now progressing in accordance with the Code, initially involving further investigation by Sport Integrity Australia supported by the AFL.
“In the interim Smith will not be part of Melbourne’s football program.”
Cocaine is on the in-competition prohibited list of stimulants, rather than a specified substance, under WADA’s anti-doping code, which the AFL complies with and is governed in Australia by SIA.
Under the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code, any player who tests positive to a substance of abuse, and can prove their use of the substance was both out of competition and unrelated to sport performance, faces a three-month ban.
The maximum penalty for the intentional use of a non-specified substance under the AFL’s Anti-Doping Code is a four-year ban.
In a short statement, the Demons said they’d continue to support Smith through the process.
“The Melbourne Football Club acknowledges the communication sent by AFL regarding Melbourne Player Joel Smith and the notification to him of an Adverse Analytical Finding, potential violation of the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code and imposition of a Provisional Suspension which is effective immediately,” a Demons statement read.
“As this matter is being investigated by Sport Integrity Australia, the Melbourne Football Club is unable to make any further comment at this time.
“The club will continue to support Joel throughout the process and ensure our supporters are informed further when we are authorised to do so.”
The AFL Players’ Association also vowed to support Smith, addint it was “inappropriate to speculate on details of the case or pre-empt the outcome”.
Smith played in both of Melbourne’s losing finals to Collingwood and Carlton, kicking one goal against the Pies before a three-goal haul against the Blues.
The 27-year-old has played 41 games for the Demons since being drafted as a rookie in 2015, including a career-high 11 in 2023.
Smith is the son of former Kangaroos and Demons high-flyer Shaun Smith, who played 109 AFL games between 1987 and 1998.
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